Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Friday, June 21st, 2024

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, June 21st, 2024:

A 'SPECIAL GAME' THAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL
For the past few years, the MLB has organized what it refers to as a "special game," such as playing a game at the site of the Field Of Dreams movie. This year, the game took place at Birmingham's historic Rickwood Field, which is the oldest existing professional baseball park in the United States. It was built for the Birmingham Barons in 1910 and served as the home park for the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro leagues.

In 1966, famed Oakland A's owner Charlie Finley purchased the Kansas City Athletics AA fame team and moved it to Birmingham to play in Rickwood Field in 1967. That team was notable for including the backbones of the future Oakland A's championship team, including Reggie Jackson, catcher Dave Duncan and pitcher Rollie Fingers.

As part of Thursday’s pregame show on Fox Sports, Jackson was asked by Alex Rodriguez what it was like to be back at Rickwood Field and what memories it brought back to him. His three-minute response is just horrifying to hear:

"I would walk into restaurants and they would point to me and say 'the nigger can't eat here.' I would go to a hotel and they would say 'the nigger can't stay here.' We went to Charlie Finley's country club for a welcome home dinner and they pointed me out with the 'N' word. 'He can't come in here.' Finley marched the whole team out. Finally they let me in there. Because he said "we're going to the diner and eat hamburgers.'"

Jackson credits Finley, the team management and fellow white players who stood up for him under immense pressure. Jackson was always known for being a bit of a hot head and he says their intervention helped keep something terrible from happening to him while he was playing in Birmingham:

"I would have got killed here. Because I would have beat someone's ass and you would have seen me hanging in an oak tree somewhere."

You should go watch the entire segment. 

There are a couple of television tie-ins to this segment. From a production standpoint, Fox Sports did a couple of interesting things during the broadcast, including the deployment of a “1954 mode” for half an inning, which showed the game in black and white, with old-style graphics, and included no instant replay or scorebug. Bill Greason, the 99-year-old oldest living former player of the Negro Leagues (and who grew up living across the street from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), threw out the first pitch. And the game also included an all-black umpiring crew, which astoundingly is apparently also a first.

However, I also wanted to complement the segment producers and the on-air team who allowed Jackson to say what he needed to say. The result was an incredibly powerful segment of live television. It's also a reminder that as an interviewer, sometimes the best move is just to say out of the way. It can be tempting to jump in with a question in hopes of directing the interview in the direction you need it to go. But sometimes it's a much wiser move to step back and trust the person you're interviewing. There are a couple of moments in the interview where you see one of the panelists take a breath as they begin to say something. But they wisely let the moment happen and it made for compelling television.

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND
It's a surprisingly light release schedule this weekend, but here are a couple of suggestions:

Trigger Warning (Friday, Netflix)
Netflix has become of these female-led action films that generally do very well with its subscribers despite the fact the critics generally dismiss them. And they often have the same jumping off point - an ex-government operative is forced into seeking revenge. Like Jennifer Lopez's Alex, there's no great innovation in the plot or improvement to the genre.. But it's a well-made, entertaining film and it gives Alba the chance to go back to her action roots. If you enjoy this type of movie, you are going to really enjoy Trigger Warning.

Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple (Saturday, Max)
If you are a fan of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, you are likely already primed to watch this documentary that recounts the unpredictable career of Springsteen's longtime musical partner and sidekick. But Van Zandt has had a really fascinating life outside of Springsteen's shadow and he has written and produced some exceptionally interesting music. From his own solo albums such as the R&B-infused album Men Without Women to Voice Of America, which featured a group of songs that criticized Ronald Reagan's policy towards Central America. He produced an absolutely spectacular Ronnie Spector cover of the Billy Joel tune "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" and along with Springsteen wrote and produced the Gary U.S. Bonds comeback albums. 

But his best-known musical contribution might be the song "Sun City," released under the band name Artists United Against Apartheid. Unlike "We Are The World," this Van Zandt-written-and-produced song stands up pretty well and it has just an insanely eclectic group of participants, ranging from Miles Davis and The Fat Boys to Stiv Bators and Hall & Oates.

Even if you're not a fan already, I think you'll find the documentary a great watch.

Two Scoops Of Italy (Saturday, Hallmark)
There are a couple of reasons to watch this if you enjoy the typical Hallmark movie. First, this is a solid example of the genre, with nothing too dumb or awkward. Second, Hunter King is predictably charming in the film. She's perfect for this rom-com genre and I'd love to see her get some higher-profile projects. 

Orphan Black: Echoes (Sunday, AMC)
I am always rooting for the underdog AMC, but this series just isn't very good. The later episodes of Orphan Black lost me a bit with the dizzying mix of mythology and after watching several episodes of this spin-off/sequel, I don't at all feel a need to revisit this confused mess later in the season.

TWEET OF THE DAY



WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, JUNE 21ST:
* Gangs of Galicia Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Manhunt: The Phantom Cop Killer (Britbox)
* No Time To Spy: A Loud House Movie (Nickelodeon)
* Planterior With Hilton Carter (Magnolia)
* Shoresy Season Premiere (Hulu)
* The Victims Game (Netflix)
* Trigger Warning (Netflix)

SATURDAY, JUNE 22ND:
* Rising Impact (Netflix)
* Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple (HBO)
* The Bad Orphan (Lifetime)
* Two Scoops Of Italy (Hallmark)

SUNDAY, JUNE 23RD:
* Biography: Alice Cooper (A&E)
* Biography: Dee Snider (A&E)
* Ciao House Season Finale (Food)
* Devil On Campus: The Larry Ray Story (Lifetime)
* Getting Lost With Erin French Series Premiere (Magnolia)
* Magnolia Table With Joanna Gaines Season Premiere (Magnolia)
* Orphan Black: Echoes Series Premiere (ANC/BBC America)
* The Icons That Built America Series Premiere (History)

MONDAY, JUNE 24TH:
* Breakin' On The One (Hulu)
* Next Baking Master: Paris Season One Finale (Food)
* POV: King Coal (PBS)
* Rachael Ray In Tuscany Series Premiere (fyi)

SEE YOU ON MONDAY!